Dye sublimation is a process employing heat and pressure to convert solid dyes into gaseous form without entering an intermediate liquid phase. Such a process can infuse colored dye into certain compatible materials, such as polyester or ceramics, to create a permanent printed image on the material.
Two primary types of dye sublimation printing systems exist in the marketplace. In a “direct” sublimation system, the printing system is configured to sublimate an image directly onto a compatible surface. Alternatively, in “transfer” systems, the images to be sublimated are first printed on an intermediate media, such as a coated paper or ribbon, and then transferred to a compatible surface using heat and pressure. In traditional systems of both types, images are transferred onto only one side of a product.
Advances in printing technology and materials have made dye sublimation printing systems more accessible to the general public. Markets are developing for personalized, customized goods with sublimated graphics, but limitations of current printing solutions have prevented further integration and saturation within the marketplace. Safety is a concern, as many printing systems may present pinching hazards, expose users to potentially dangerous stored energy sources, and necessarily employ high levels of heat and pressure that could injure an untrained operator. Many systems also have large footprints that prevent ready deployment in a retail setting. Finally, the printing process can be complex, with multiple loading, aligning, and transporting steps. Development of a compact, automated sublimation printing system is needed in the art.
Several features are desirable in an integrated sublimation printing system designed for a retail environment. As discussed, a safe, automated system operable by an untrained operator, or even a customer would increase deployment possibilities. Sublimation systems deployed in a retail setting must strike several critical balances to achieve market success. The device must be capable of drawing enough power in order to apply the necessary sublimation temperature and pressure to a product, and must be able to ramp up the electrical current to do so on short notice. Additionally, the system must perform these tasks in a manner that is compatible with the existing electrical wiring configuration of the host retail establishment. Retail customers are frequently unwilling to wait at a point-of-sale for a long warm-up and calibration cycle followed by a several minute long sublimation transfer process. Consequently, a successful retail sublimation system must be capable of on-demand production and heat generation while eschewing potential burn hazards or uncomfortably heating the ambient air of the rest of the store.
Expediting and streamlining the printing and sublimation process would increase efficiency, quality, repeatability, and profitability. One means of speeding up sublimation printing is by configuring the system to simultaneously print on multiple surfaces of a three-dimensional product. Optimization in this manner not only reduces the time of the process but is safer (since flipping the product for printing on the other side is not required) and reduces material waste. Additionally, a modular apparatus comprising various subsystems would be desirable, because it could be configured to meet particular needs or applications of a user in a cost-effective manner. Furthermore, such an apparatus could be designed to fit a variety of physical footprints, widening potential marketing possibilities.
One attempt at a dye sublimation printer system capable of printing on multiple surfaces of a product is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,563,341 (the '341 patent) issued to Ferguson, et al. on Jul. 21, 2009. In particular, the '341 patent discloses a dye transfer sublimation system in which a three-dimensional object for sublimation is placed on a structural base topped with a molded, heat-resistant surface such as silicone rubber. An image carrier sheet pre-printed with dye images is placed onto the product, and a “flexible membrane” is then lowered onto the sheet and secured with vacuum pressure. Flexible heating elements, such as an electrical circuit etched in a metal foil, are integrated into either the image carrier sheet or the flexible membrane. The system is heated in a manner that the top and possibly the side surfaces of an object may be sublimated with the printed images.
Although the systems and methods disclosed in the '341 patent may assist an operator in sublimating onto multiple surfaces of a product, the disclosed system is limited. The '341 system does not easily lend itself to streamlined automation, as no integrated system is disclosed, and the components must be manually placed and aligned. The system components are open to the air, and thus could present a safety hazard, particularly to an untrained operator. Finally, although the top and smaller sides of a three-dimensional object can be printed using this system, there is no capability for printing onto the top side of an object and the bottom side simultaneously. The system would not be readily adaptable to multiple types of products, as a membrane that fits one object well may not conform satisfactorily to fit the shape of another oddly-sized or shaped object, leading to lower transfer quality. The '341 system contains significant safety and efficiency limitations that would not make it ideal for a merchant, such as a retail outlet, seeking to add a dye sublimation system to provide and market personalized products to consumers.
The disclosed system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or elsewhere in the prior art.